Summary of French Artificial Reefs Immersions Since 1968, Sites, Volumes, Types and Costs

Abstract

Since 1968 and the immersion of the first artificial reef next to the French Mediterranean shores in front of Palavas, only two studies have been initiated by Barnabé et al. (2002) on the Mediterranean scale, and another was directed by Lacroix et al. (2002) for the whole French coast.

The coastal area of Languedoc-Roussillon was a pioneer region for the immersion of artificial reefs (Doumenge 1968), but in terms of size, the largest one was submerged in front of Marseille (32,000 m³). Nowadays, most of the reefs are located off the Mediterranean coast; new projects are being developed on the Atlantic side (e.g. Yeu Island or Cap Breton, etc.), the English Channel (Le Tréport), and the overseas’ islands of Reunion and Martinique.

Thus, approximately 40 reef sets have been submerged in French marine waters; some of them are the result of several releases (e.g., Gruissan, Marine Park of the Blue Coast (Charbonnel et al. 2000)). These projects are most often created at the request of fishermen working close to the coasts. The development of the artificial reef was initially connected to “development and support for inshore fishing” (creation of the site in 1968 in Palavas, unpublished Lacroix D.). Currently in France, artificial reefs are linked to production and protection issues (Pary 2004; Claudet 2006).

This summary of the French experience in artificial reefs describes both the quantitative approach (sites, volume, design) and recent project costs (since 2000).